September 21, 2011

Overcome from Loss and Grief - Psychological Counseling

Loss and Grief

Loss and grief are a part of life, and sooner or later, we all experience these feelings. It’s helpful to know what to expect at difficult times: it enables us to help ease others’ pain, or cope with our own. Some things to be aware of:

The first loss may be the most challenging (with no previous experience, it can seem like you’ll never recover, but have confidence that you will)

An accidental or unexpected death can be more difficult to deal with

Grief is heightened by a sense of isolation (students are often away from family members, and don’t want to burden friends)

Normal responses

There is no set sequence or predetermined "stages" for grief; we each go through it in our own way. A normal response to a significant loss often seems like depression:

Your motivation may be down; don’t expect to have 100% of your energy or drive

You may have less ability to concentrate; your mind may wander

You may feel vulnerable or anxious

Tears may come at any time

You may not sleep well, or you may sleep too much

You may feel numbness, sadness, or anger

Signs of concern include:

Disruption or stagnation that persists beyond a year,

Thoughts of suicide, and

Feelings of self-loathing or

Profound guilt.

Time heals

It takes most people about a year after a loss to feel whole again, yet classes and activities go on, not waiting for the grief to pass. This may be especially hard on high achievers, but grief has its own schedule. Pushing yourself can backfire. Consider taking some time off. People will cut you the slack if you cut it for yourself.